


lay your weary head to rest

by the_bisexual_disaster



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, I REPEAT THERE IS NO INCEST IN THIS FIC, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Supernatural AU - Freeform, arya is bi, but dw he still has the asshole charm we all know and love, gendry will show up i swear, gendry's an angel bc i said so, gendrya as destiel, love at first stab, mentions of depression, mentions of self harm, mentions of torture in hell, no beta we die like men, or first rescue mission from hell, past temporary character death, so is Robb, soulmates but in like a biblical way i guess, there is no incest in this fic, unlike the spn and got writers i am not a coward
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:42:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23618464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_bisexual_disaster/pseuds/the_bisexual_disaster
Summary: As she walked, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone or, even worse, something was watching her. Strangely, she didn’t feel uncomfortable. It felt as if she was being watched over by someone, being kept safe. In a way, it made her feel strong.(written for gendrya month week three: supernatural)
Relationships: Arya Stark & Robb Stark, Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark
Comments: 23
Kudos: 41





	1. Arya

**Author's Note:**

> henlo! i have been wanting to do a supernatural au for SO LONG and ive finally been blessed with this chance to do so. originally, this was going to be a oneshot but past me is dumb so we're splitting it up.  
> tw for general spn content, violence, self harm, violent past character death, and depression/ptsd. it's all in the tags, but i don't want to take any chances. hope you all are staying safe! <3

_“What is it? What did sh- what did you do, Arya?”_

_“I did what I had to.”_

_“Which was what? What did you do?”_

_Robb was practically screaming at her and Arya couldn’t blame him. She would be doing the same thing if their roles were reversed._

_“She sold herself.” Arya swore she would murder Clegane if he ever gave her the chance. “Sold her soul to the Lord to save you.”_

_Robb was quiet for a moment. She could see his heart breaking, heard her own shattering in return._

_“Why?” His voice broke. “Why woul- why?”_

_She swallowed._

_“I wasn’t about to let you die like that.”_

_He fell to his knees in front of her and pulled her into a hug._

_“You shouldn’t have to die for my mistakes. There has to be something we can do- someone we can talk to.”_

_There wasn’t. She already knew the end was coming for her, but she wouldn’t trade it for the world._

Arya woke up coughing. It took her longer than she would have liked to orient herself and identify her surroundings. She used the solid ground under her back and the sharpness of the chill in the air to ground herself and bring herself back to reality.

The sun had set some time ago and she took a moment to appreciate the view of the stars in the sky. She didn’t entirely have a good grasp on the concept of time at the moment, but she knew it had been too long since she’d last seen stars twinkling in the night sky. It made her feel at peace for the first time in a long time.

To her right was a rather deep hole which seemed like a grave. She didn’t take much time to consider it, as she was more concerned about falling into it than anything else. She was still disoriented and dizzy, but she got to her feet and began walking towards the sound of nearby cars.

_“There has to be something we can do-”_

_“There isn’t, Robb.”_

_“You can’t be sure. There has to be something, anything-”_

_“Robb-”_

_“No! I’m not giving up!”_

Arya walked down the road for what seemed like an eternity before stumbling across a gas station. It was so run down it might as well have been abandoned, but the store attached had items on the shelves. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of food and so despite her better judgement, she lobbed a sizable rock through the window. She just hoped that no one would be around to call the police on her, otherwise she’d truly be fucked. 

She reached through the hole she’d made in the glass door and unlocked it. Inside there was some food she could eat without being worried about food poisoning and some water bottles in a cooler that felt barely cold. She opened one of the bottles and downed it in less than a minute without taking a breath. As she grabbed another, she felt a tickle at the back of her neck.

Someone was watching her. 

She crept her way around to the front and retrieved the rock she’d used to break in. She hated being unarmed like this and hoped the rock would be enough to protect her until she got back to Robb. 

Arya wished she had a way to let her brother know she was alive. She didn’t trust that he’d have the same number since she didn’t know how long she’d been gone. It could have been a month, a year, or a decade as far as she knew. Since they had to stay off the grid so much, they had to change numbers every few months in order to protect themselves and stay hidden.

Clegane, however, did not have the same mindset. He figured that if the cops came looking for him, it’d be because he died. Therefore, he’d had the same shitty, barely functioning landline for as long as Arya could remember. It was their emergency number for everything. She just hoped he was home.

She dialed the number, and he picked up after the third ring with his characteristic grunt.

“Clegane,” she began, “it’s me”

“Who the fuck is ‘me’?”

“Arya. Arya Stark.”

“What in the- What the shit?” She had to move the receiver away from her ear as he shouted. Sandor Clegane was not known for being a quiet man. “You died! I watched you die.”

“Yeah, well now I’m back.”

There was a moment of silence as he processed what she’d told him. 

“You’re fucking with me.”

“I’m not-”

“I swear to all the seven fucking gods I will end you, ya little shit. You don’t get to take her name and her voice and live. I will hunt you down-”

“Clegane, it’s me! Did Robb change his-”

He hung up. Arya knew that she had to prove to him that it was her and she was truly alive. She just hoped he didn’t kill her before she could say anything.

_“No! You can’t- you can’t take her! You can’t take my sister! I won’t let you!”_

_“Robb, please-” “No! I won’t let you go! I won’t let them take you from me!”_

_He collapsed over her body as if he could protect her from the hellhounds that were scratching at his back and her arms._

_“Robb- Robb, look at me.”_

_His eyes focused on hers, shining brightly with tears that were falling down his cheeks. “It’s ok,” Arya said quietly. “You’ll be ok. Just let me go.”_

_“No.” His voice broke._

_“Please,” she whispered. “Run as far as you can. I don’t want you to see this.”_

_Robb took a shuddering breath and pressed his lips to her forehead for a second before Clegane pulled him off of her. A hound latched onto her shoulder._

_“Robb, run!” she cried. She tried to keep yelling at him to run, but all that came out were guttural screams. She kept screaming as the hounds tore at her body until finally she gave into the darkness. She just hoped they managed to get away and that the hounds had only come for her._

Arya woke with a gasp. She didn’t think she could ever rid the harrowing memory of her death from her mind.

She had taken shelter in the old car she’d managed to steal. She didn’t exactly know if what she did could qualify as ‘stealing’ since the car was abandoned on the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere. She was grateful for people’s tendency to abandon things in this particular part of Westeros or else she’d be forced to steal. She hated stealing from people, especially those who seemed down on their luck, but she was also willing to do what she had to in order to survive. She had to, or else her life or Robb’s life might be on the line.

Before she died, her and Robb were always on the move. They never stayed in one place for long, fearing that someone or some _thing_ would find them out and kill them both or worse, throw them in jail. Therefore, she decided her best bet was Clegane. The man had settled down more than twenty years ago and decided the only way he was leaving his dingey old shack was in a body bag or a million pieces. 

After a while of trying to get back to sleep, Arya decided it was a lost cause and sat up, preparing to get back on the road. She had never been one to sleep for very long, even as a child, and sometimes she felt herself paying for it. Right now, for example, she felt too tired to drive, but had to get to Clegane’s as soon as possible. _It’s fine,_ she thought. She’d driven in worse conditions before and she had yet to get into an accident. At least, any accident she had gotten in were small ones that made Robb screech in concern. Not for her, of course. Any car he saw he treated like his baby, and he was always more worried about the car’s wellbeing over his little sister’s.

Thinking of Robb dramatically fretting over the tiniest of scratches made Arya’s heart hurt. She missed him so much. He’s going to be so happy to see her.

She _hopes_ he’ll be happy to see her. 

The sun had risen long before Arya arrived at Clegane’s. She had greatly misjudged the distance between where she woke up and his house, but managed to make it there in decent time. As it was, the car stalled out about an hour walk back and she had to make the rest of her journey on foot. Fortunately it seemed to be fall. She couldn’t be too sure, but the chill in the air reminded her of the autumn winds from her childhood home, where she’d lived years ago.

She barely remembered the place where she grew up. She was nine when it burned down, and she hadn’t gone back since. The seemingly mysterious fire had claimed the lives of almost all of her family, barring Robb and her mother. She couldn’t remember her father’s face, or her sister’s voice as she hummed, or the sound of her baby brother’s gleeful laugh. Sometimes, she felt angry at the fate that led her down this path. 

As she walked, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone or, even worse, something was watching her. Strangely, she didn’t feel uncomfortable. It felt as if she was being watched over by someone, being kept safe. In a way, it made her feel strong.

She walked up to the door and took a deep breath. Chances are, Clegane will put a bullet between her eyes before she even had a chance to defend herself, so she had to be careful. He was convinced she was a kind of monster wearing Arya Stark’s face when they spoke on the phone, but she hoped she could convince him better in person. 

Arya knocked on the door. She wasn’t surprised in the least that it took him an eternity to make his way to the door. She wouldn’t be shocked if he was hungover or even still drunk.

Eventually, he opened the door and stared at her a long while.

“Hey,” she started, “it’s m-”

“What did I tell you, huh?” he demanded, grabbing a gun off of his belt and aiming it at her head. “I told you that if I saw you-”

“You didn’t say anything about if you saw me, you dense motherfucker,” she interrupted. “You said that you would hunt me down, but there’s no need. I’m here.”

“Saves me a hell of a lot of work,” he grunted, cocking his gun.

“Seven fucking hells, Clegane. I’m me! I can prove it to you. All I need is a kitchen knife. Nothing enchanted or cursed or whatever the fuck you do to them. The sharper, the better.” She was beginning to lose her patience.

He grunted again and led her inside, never taking his eyes off of her or moving the gun away from her. She didn’t blame him. If someone she knew without a doubt died in front of her and came back, she’d be skeptical too, especially considering what she does on a regular basis.

They made it to the kitchen and he pulled out and handed her a chef’s knife before backing away. After doing the best she could to ensure the knife wasn’t enchanted or blessed in any way that could make it capable of harming a monster, she put it to her skin, cutting a thin but shallow line in her forearm.

“You see?” she asked quietly. “I’m human. I’m me.”

Finally, he took a deep breath and put his gun down. If it were anyone else, Arya would have expected a bone crushing hug, but this was Clegane. As it was, he grabbed the back of her neck in a way that strangely reminded her of her father.

“Well then,” he sighed. “It looks like we have some calls to make.”


	2. Robb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is probably the longest thing i've ever written by myself. it is a LONG BOI so strap in  
> also, i know i intended this to be a gendrya fic, but this chapter is robb/throbb centric chapter. if that isn't your thing, uhhhh i think it'll be safe plot wise to skip. next chapter will be arya and we'll get into more gendrya content :)  
> hope you all are staying safe! <3

It had been a solid year since Arya- well, since Robb lost her.

After that, he’d been lost. He’d ran as far away as he could and kept moving. Anytime he tried to settle down somewhere he found his thoughts drifting to how she would enjoy the town or how quickly she would make friends with the most reclusive of his neighbours. Then, he would remember how she died, and he wouldn’t be able to sleep. The guilt was too much.

It got better when he met Theon, but he still had bad days. 

They had just been walking back to their hotel when Robb’s phone started ringing. He’d stopped hunting after he lost Arya and was therefore quite shocked when he recognized the number as Sandor Clegane’s. The man hadn’t even bothered to check in once in a while for the whole year. 

More than a little annoyed, Robb told Theon to go ahead without him and went into an alleyway before answering so he could have some semblance of privacy.

“What do you want, Clegane?” Robb demanded. “I quit hunting. I’m out.”

“First of all, no one’s ever truly out,” Clegane explained in a suspiciously calm voice. 

Robb sighed in annoyance.

“Second of all, I’m not calling you about a hunt.”

“Oh yeah?” Robb was unconvinced. “Then what do you want?”

“It’s about your sister.”

Robb took a shuddering breath. The sound of her screaming echoed in his ears.

“She’s dead. What could you possi-”

“She isn’t dead.”

“That’s bullshit, Clegane, and you know it.”

“It isn’t. She’s right in front of me if you’d like to say hello.”

Robb tried to take deep breaths to calm himself, like Theon had told him to do, but all he saw was red and all he could feel was rage. 

“It’s not her. You know it’s not her. Why have you not killed it yet?”

Clegane didn’t respond. The only thing Robb heard from the other end was some static and a second voice. It was almost like someone was trying to take the phone out of his hand.

“Robb?” the other voice asked.

Robb’s voice stuck in his throat.

“Arya?” He hated the way his voice broke. He wanted to say something else. He wanted to accuse her of impersonating his sister, but he couldn’t. He was so caught up in the feeling of hearing her voice again.

“Is this real? Are you really back?” he asked.

“Yes,” she responded. “I wanted to call sooner but I wasn’t sure if you had changed your number since and I thought Clegane’s would be easier to get to and I didn’t know where you were-” Robb chuckled slightly. “Calm down. I completely understand. I’ll be at Clegane’s as soon as possible, I swear.”

He heard her sniff and wiped away tears of his own. 

“I’ll see you soon, then”

“I’ll see you soon.”

It had taken a little bit on convincing and a lot of explaining to get Theon to come with Robb. Fortunately, he didn’t ask too many questions. Theon had always had a sort of fascination and a respectful fear of the supernatural, so he understood. The hardest part was getting him to believe Robb wasn’t messing around with him.

“So, so, let me get this straight,” Theon demanded. “You have to go to some angry old man’s house because your sister who you thought was dead _isn’t_ dead but now she might not even be herself so you have to go either hug her or kill her?”

“Uh, yeah.” Robb answered.

“Shit. And I thought _my_ family problems were bad. When do you want to leave?”

“As soon as possible. It’s a long drive.”

“Then why can’t we get some sleep first,” Theon complained. “Please, Robb? You know big dinners make me tired.”

“Fine,’ Robb sighed. “We can get some sleep.”

He got changed and climbed into bed, curling up beside his boyfriend who fell asleep almost immediately. It took a while, but eventually Robb fell asleep too.

Theon and Robb had taken so many road trips during the time they’ve known each other that they had it almost down to a science. Usually, Robb drives while Theon naviagates and feeds him snacks. This time was no different. They communicated and acted without words and as a result, the drive was relatively quiet. Not even Theon, renowned chatterbox, said a word for hours on end. Robb concluded that the reason might have been that he was staring quite intensely out the windshield, focused only on the road in front of him. He was aware of the tension that had grown between them, but all he could care about was seeing his sister again. He couldn’t help but think about her. How did she get back? How long had she been back? Would she like Theon? Would she come to treat him as her own?

His thoughts shifted from Arya to Theon. It was likely Robb would have to leave him in order to keep him safe. He didn’t want to, but it was the best option. Theon was rash and impulsive and he did what he wanted, much like Arya. 

She was a great hunter. She was always hyper aware of her surroundings and she had a knack for anything historical, which proved useful time and time again. However, she was prone to running headfirst into a fight, determined to eliminate a threat before it could hurt anyone else. She grew attached to the people they helped so easily, and would do anything to keep them out of harm’s way. Robb always admired her selflessness, choosing instead to distance himself so it didn’t hurt as much when people died. Too many people die around him. 

Theon’s own impulsivity was probably what drew Robb to him. In a way, it made Robb feel more complete. It complimented Robb’s hesitance to try new things. Gods know he’d done more in his one year with Theon than he had in the 27 years before.

Suddenly, he was hit with a wave of desolation. That same impulsivity, the same selflessness… all it did for Arya was get her killed. The sound of her screaming echoed in his ears.

He wasn’t going to let that happen to Theon. There was no way. He had to let him go, for his own safety. He might hate Robb, but that was fine as long as he was safe. All Robb wants is for Theon to be safe. 

Robb began to think about how he would break things off with Theon. They had already been driving for eight hours and they still had a ways to go before they made it to Clegane’s. He should’ve thought this through. He didn’t want to leave Theon in the middle of nowhere to his own devices. Robb figured the best plan was to drop him at a hotel somewhere after sitting him down and properly explaining their situation. Theon still didn’t fully understand the danger Robb’s “job” put him in. All he knew was monsters and mythical beings and magic and if he was being honest, Robb didn’t know if Theon even believed him. It was going to be difficult to get him to stay away, but it was something Robb had to do, for Theon’s sake, and his own.

“We need to talk,” Robb stammered. Actually going through with a break up was a lot harder in practice than in theory.

“About?” Theon asked, his mouth full of cheeseburger. He swallowed and continued, “I thought we already talked about what needed to be talked about.”

“In the morning, when I leave, I need you to stay here,” Robb told him, hesitatingly. “I can’t let you come with me.”

He could feel Theon’s eyes boring into the side of his skull. For a second, Robb wanted to take everything back. He wanted to say ‘fuck it” and bring Theon into his life entirely, consequences be damned. He wanted to teach him how to hunt, how to shoot, how to drive without smashing into every single garbage can along the street. He wanted to introduce Theon to his sister and the man he reluctantly considered his surrogate father. He wanted to spend the rest of his life, however long that may be, with Theon if that meant Robb would never have to break his heart.

But he knew what would happen. New hunters always ran headfirst into danger, thinking they have something to prove. They’re the ones who get hurt the most, the ones who get killed the most, and the ones who lose the most. Robb would rather cut off his foot than see Theon hurt like that. 

“Why?” Theon demanded. “Why do I have to stay here?” 

“Because…” 

“Because what, Robb?”

“It’s too dangerous for you.”

“What kind of bullsh- I thought we were just going to see your sister.”

“We- we are going to see her,” Robb stammered. “But it- it’s dangerous. For you. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Theon snorted in response. “Is someone going to try and kill me?” he asked dryly.

“Someone might.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Robb. There’s no need for all these excuses. Just say the word, and we’re done.”

Robb backpedaled. “I don’t want us to be done, Theon. All I want is for you to be safe. I couldn’t bear it if you…” he trailed off.

The heaviness of what he was about to say hung in the air. Robb didn’t even want to consider it. After everything that had happened to him, to his family… it was all just too easy to imagine the same exact thing happening to Theon.

“What? If I what, Robb?”

Robb took a deep breath. “If you died. I’d never forgive myself if you died.”

“Then don’t let me die.”

“It isn’t that simple-”

“It could be. You could show me what I need to do to stay alive.” “It’s harder than you think, Theon.”

“I’m willing to try. I’m willing to risk it if it means being with you. We’ve stayed together this long, through thick and thin. Don’t throw what we have away because you’re scared.”

_He’s scared too,_ Robb thought. Of what, he couldn’t say.

“All right,” Robb conceded. “We should pay our bill and get back on the road.”

“Agreed,” Theon said enthusiastically, shoving the rest of his fries in his mouth as he tried to speak.

Robb chuckled. 

It took them another several hours on the road to get to Clegane’s, and it took Robb an undisclosed amount of time to get the courage up to go inside. The last time he’d seen Arya, she was dead. Now, she wasn’t. It was difficult to wrap his mind around.

Eventually, he decided that he needed answers, and there was only one way to get them. With Theon at his side, Robb marched up to the door and knocked. Clegane hated people barging in through his front door unannounced, even if they were friends.

Clegane opened the door immediately. He looked from Robb to Theon and back to Robb.

“Who the fuck’s this then?” Clegane demanded.

“This is- “ Robb gulped. “This is Theon, my boyfriend.”

“You got a fucking boyfriend now?”

“Yes?” _What kind of a question is that, Clegane?_

“Get in here, already. Letting all the cold air in. It’s fucking November, you know.”

“Yeah, |Clegane, we’re well aware of what month it is.”

Robb and Theon followed Clegane inside and Robb had to admit, he felt a lot better being inside where it was warm. It was ridiculously cold, even for a night in November.

As they walked, Theon leaned in. “I don’t like him very much,” he whispered. “Too big and mean.”

“He’s a big softie though,” Robb whispered back. “Don’t let him fool you.”

“She’s upstairs,” Clegane interrupted. “Said she was gonna try and sleep, but doubt she’ll be sleeping much.”

“So… I can-”

“Yes, you whinging coward. Go greet your sister. She misses you.”

Robb turned to Theon to gauge his reaction to the shift in Clegane’s voice. Theon looked to Robb with eyes widened in surprise. When their eyes met, Theon smiled in encouragement and he nodded in the direction of the stairs. Robb hoped Clegane wouldn’t grill Theon too hard while he was upstairs.

Once he reached the room he remembered Arya preferring to stay in when they slept over as kids, he hesitated. What if she was a monster, smart enough to fool even Clegane? What if she wasn’t the same person he remembered? What if… _what if…_

He swallowed his fear and knocked on the door.

“Arya?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a hot minute! and also this is a) my longest chapter of everything ive ever written and b) my second update today! can you tell im avoiding my assignments?

As hard as she tried, Arya couldn’t sleep. She was only successful for maybe an hour, and for the duration of that time, all she could remember was fire, pain, blue eyes, and a soothing voice telling her it was going to be alright.

She still couldn’t remember any of her time in hell, and it was disconcerting, to say the least. She was dead; it wasn’t like she’d lost that year of her life. But still, she couldn’t help but think about what she could have missed. A lot can happen in a year. Children could be born, relationships developed, elections to be had, technology invented. 

The more she thought about it, the more her head spun. After her fifth consecutive attempt at trying to sleep, but feeling too overwhelmed to do so, she got up. She was about to head downstairs and maybe raid Clegane’s probably ancient stash of coffee when a knock sounded at her door.

“Arya?’ Robb said, almost hesitantly.

She wanted to respond, but how could she? When she revealed herself to Clegane, he’d been ready to kill her. She didn’t blame him for that; she would’ve done the same.

After what seemed like an eternity, she replied.

“Come in.”

The door opened and before Arya could think, her >>brother had launched himself at her and was holding her so tightly she thought she would snap in half. She didn’t care, though. She had imagined this moment ever since she woke up next to that grave. 

Robb’s hand cupped the back of her head and held her close to him for several moments. After a while, she realized he was crying. Soon, she realized she was crying too.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” he sobbed into her shoulder.

“I’m here, I’m right here,” she assured him.

He pulled back and smiled at her. “There’s someone downstairs I’d like you to meet.”

“Oh really?’ Arya raised an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. “Come on.”

She followed him downstairs. When they got there, she noticed Clegane glaring daggers at a rather tall, fair-haired man who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. The stranger looked up when he heard Arya and Robb descending and sighed in relief. He got up and embraced Robb gratefully. 

“I’m so happy you’re back. I thought he was going to murder me,” the man whispered dramatically into Robb’s ear.

Robb chuckled. “I would never let him do that to you.”

The two turned to Arya. 

“Arya, this is my boyfriend, Theon. Theon, this is my little sister, Arya.”

She rolled her eyes at being called “little.”

Theon extended a hand. “Nice to meet you, Arya. Robb’s told me a lot about you.”

Arya smiled back at Theon. “Likewise.”

“Alright, now that everyone’s acquainted,” Clegane interrupted, “we should discuss the situation at hand.”

“Situation?” Theon questioned.

“We talked about this,” Robb muttered. 

“Oh right.”

Clegane turned to Arya. “What do you remember?”

“I, uh…” She didn’t really feel comfortable talking about her death and resurrection with Theon, almost a stranger, in the room. 

“It’s alright,” Robb told her. “We can trust Theon. He already knows everything.”

Arya nodded. “I don’t remember anything from the past year. The last thing I remember is dying.”

She noticed Robb tense out of the corner of her eye. 

Arya continued. “I think… someone saved me.”

“Who?’ Robb asked.

“I don’t know who. I think he’s been watching me, though.”

“He?”

“Yeah, I think whoever it is is a ‘he.’”

“You’re not being sexist, are you, Arya?” Robb teased.

“When have I _ever_ -”

“Everyone shut up for a moment,” Clegane thundered. “So whoever pulled you out of whatever hell you were in had to be powerful enough to do it, and you said you think he’s watching you, correct?”

“That’s correct.”

Clegane said something else, but Arya couldn’t hear it. Her senses were overwhelmed by the strangest sensation and a voice whispered in her ear.

“ _Go to the barnhouse. One hour.”_

It sounded almost like it was a bad connection. Whatever was trying to contact her was using a significant amount of his energy to do so. _He must be desperate. Maybe he needs my help,_ Arya thought.

“I think I have a way to find out what we’re dealing with,” Arya spoke up, interrupting what seemed like an argument brewing between Clegane and Robb.

“How?” Theon asked, quietly. He hadn’t said a word throughout the entire conversation. Arya guessed he must not be a hunter. Why Robb would bring him, she didn’t know.

“Th-the barnhouse. I think he wants to meet me at the barnhouse.”

“There’s no fucking barnhouse here,” Clegane scoffed. 

“Not here,” she clarified. “But not too far either.”

Arya didn’t know how she knew where to go, but she did. Robb and Theon chose to stay behind, which was probably for the best. Clegane, however, demanded he come along. 

“I’m not letting you near that thing without backup. What we’re dealing with is powerful, and we don’t know what it is to begin with. Going it alone would be suicide.”

She had to admit he had a point, so she didn’t object when he came with. She was surprised, however, when he allowed her to drive instead of demanding he drive. 

Clegane was a notoriously bad passenger. He hated not being in control and usually snapped demands and orders at whoever was driving, who was usually Robb. This time, however, he was dead silent the whole trip. If he did speak, she didn’t hear. She was too focused on trying to identify the barnhouse he wanted her to go to.

Eventually, she pulled into an abandoned lot with a very old building that seemed almost like a death trap. It looked like something out of a horror movie.

The two got out of the car and began unloading all their supplies. They brought at least one way to capture or kill every single being they’d encountered thus far, including a few for monsters Arya had never heard of. She’d be surprised if this new being would be able to walk through >>all their defenses and came out unscathed.

There was a strange kind of energy in the air; an energy that was familiar to her yet at the same time was foreign. It felt almost reassuring and angry at the same time. 

They walked into the building, armed to the teeth with various weapons and runes ready to use. They’d left as soon as they were able to and the barnhouse was only a half hour drive from Clegane’s. After taking their arsenal out of the car and bringing it to the barnhouse, they had roughly twenty minutes to set everything up.

It wasn’t a lot of time. Arya and Robb had, on occasion, spent hours setting up a trap for a hunt. However, what little time they had would have to do. 

Before she knew it, they were out of time. They only had the basic traps and runes drawn and set up and Arya knew it wouldn’t be enough to stop him, whatever he was.

She gripped the knife in her hand tighter.

Outside, a storm began brewing. She recalled the sky being clear as they came in. There wasn’t a cloud in sight. 

_Strange,_ she thought.

She saw Clegane shift, readying his stance so he could fight, and she did the same.

The door blew open with a loud _bang!_ On the other side stood... _a man?_

He stood tall and confident, despite Clegane and Arya and their arsenal of weapons. His clothes weren’t too different from the ones Arya herself wore. His jet-black hair moved with the howling wind and there seemed to be a strange glow surrounding him.

The one thing about his appearance that stood out the most was his eyes, however. She remembered them from her dream. She noticed how they were brimmed with anger and how they seemed to soften almost as he focused on her. As she stared into his deep blue eyes she found herself thinking she’d never seen eyes quite that shade before. He seemed to be indifferent to Clegane standing a few feet away, focusing only on Arya. 

Arya heard a battle cry and turned to see Clegane running towards them, a curved blade, wickedly sharp, in hand. Before she could yell at him to stop, the man- man?- in front of her had raised his hand and Clegane flew backwards, hitting the wall behind him. The sight filled Arya with rage and she ran forward, slipping her knife into her hand and plunging it into his chest.

He didn’t even flinch. His eyes remained clear, the deep blue in them unchanging. He didn’t even seem angry that she’d just stabbed him in what she thought was his heart. Instead, he grasped the knife by the handle and pulled it out slowly, which made her cringe. When he removed the blade completely, the wound sealed and vanished completely. Not even a scar remained.

She stared in shock. _What the fuck is he?_

“Allow me to explain-” he began.

She cut him off by reaching for an axe she knew they’d brought with them. If there was anything she knew, it was that cutting off the heads was usually a surefire way to kill something, and that she was beyond angry. How dare this _thing_ demand he meet her and then presume to hurt the people she cared for, no matter how begrudgingly? With a yell, she raised the axe.

“That won’t work, Arya.”

She stopped, the axe still raised and ready to swing.

“How do you know my name?” she demanded.

“I know everything,” he said, rather cryptically.

She stayed silent, the axe still poised to swing.

“Well,” he continued, “not _everything_ , necessarily, but I do know a good amount.”

“Including who I am?” she asked, patience wearing thin and arms growing tired.

“Yes, including who you are.”

“Who are you?” she demanded. “No, fuck that, _what_ are you?”

He smiled as if he was amused. _For the love of the fucking seven, if he finds this_ funny-

“My name is Gendry,” he said, “and I’m the one who rescued you from the depths of the Seven Hells.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, _Gendry,_ ” she spat. “ _What_ are you? I’ll give you five seconds to answer before I cut your fucking head off!” She may have been exaggerating, but he was pissing her off so much she couldn’t stand him anymore. Who does he think he is, dancing around her questions like that? Robb did that sometimes when he did something he knew Arya wouldn’t approve of, and it drove her absolutely batshit.

“I follow the Lord of Light,” he told her. “Through his blessing, I cannot be wounded by mortal weapons, so put your axe down.” His tone was almost robotic as he explained, as if he’d said it a thousand times before.

Frustrated beyond belief, Arya turned away from Gendry and threw the axe at the wall with as much power as she could muster and an enraged scream. The feeling of being in the presence of something she’d never encountered before wreaked havoc on her mind. For all she knew, this follower could kill Sandor while her back was turned, then kill her when she least expected it, then make his way to Clegane’s and kill Robb and Theon too. The thought made her want to throw herself at him with the deadliest weapons they had in their arsenal just to ensure her family’s safety. She’d be damned if she let anything happen to them. It was the very reason she died in the first place and started this entire fiasco.

However, it was _him._ The energy that surrounded her and filled the room now was the same nag in the back of her head when she first woke up in the dead of night. He said that he saved her, and she couldn’t find any logical reason to not believe him. She’d seen him recover from her knife in his chest in mere moments, and she’d been absolutely certain she’d gone for the heart. He knew her name and he seemed powerful enough to pull off such a feat. It wasn’t something she could quite comprehend just yet, but by the gods he was persistent. He wasn’t going to let her leave like this, she knew it. 

“Why did you do it?” she asked, finally, having calmed down significantly.

“It’s a bit of a long story,” he shrugged.

“I have time,” she said, plopping herself down on the floor and gesturing for him to speak.

He sighed and sat down across from her. His blue eyes were shining and they seemed so much deeper and vibrant than they had moments ago.

“On the day that you died,” he began, “I felt a kind of change within me. I hadn’t even heard your name before, but I knew you were important.”

“Really?” she asked. “You really never heard of me before? I don’t know whether I should be honoured to have been able to avoid your kind for this long or offended.”

“You want the story, right?” he asked, and she nodded in response. “Ok, so be quiet and listen to me.

“It took a while and a lot of searching, but eventually I found it. There’s a war coming, Arya, and you and your brother have important roles to play in it.”

“What kind of battle?” she asked.

“A big one,” 

“I figured.”

“No one else heard the call,” he went on. “I was meant to save you from the seven hells myself and you were meant to die. Maybe not by selling your soul to a demon, but it was meant to happen.”

Immediately, Arya jumped on the offense. “I did what had to be done to save my brother-“

“I’m not admonishing you for it,” he chuckled. “It was brave of you, but by doing so and by me pulling you from the hells we have set the war in motion. From here on out, we have to be on watch.”

“You still haven’t told me. What kind of battle?”

He sighed again. He was quite good at that. “That in and of itself is quite the story. It’s something your brother should hear as well.”

“Does that mean you’re coming with us?”

“I can come with you, if you want me to.”

Arya hesitated. She didn’t trust him yet and he was dangerous, unpredictable. She didn’t want to see what remained of her family get hurt again. But also, he saved her. There wasn’t any ill intent towards her or her family. He just wanted to help.

“Alright, come with us,” she said to him. She turned and saw Clegane, slumped on the floor. She’d forgotten he was there. “We’ll have to carry him,” she told Gendry.

“No need,” he said, approaching Clegane and placing his fingers on Clegane’s forehead. Almost immediately, the larger, burly man jumped up, swinging the blade in his hand wildly at Gendry, who took a step back.

“Who the fuck are you?” Clegane demanded.

“His name is Gendry,” Arya said. “We’ll fill you in when we get back to the house.”

“He’s coming with us?” Clegane shouted. “Like fuck he is!”

“He’s coming with us, whether you like it or not!” Arya shouted back at him. “Either you accept that or I’m staying here!”

“Get your head out of the clouds, girl! You don’t know him! You don’t even know _what_ he is, so why are you willing to die for him?”

“I never said I was going to die for him, what the fuck?”

“Stop!” Gendry commanded. “We can’t afford to be fighting amongst ourselves!”

“He’s right, Clegane,” Arya said. “We’ll explain everything _if_ you let him come with us. We need to tell Robb, as well.”

It took a moment, but Clegane finally lowered his weapon. “Just get in the fucking car.”


End file.
